Паутина Шарлотты

           "Good-bye,good-bye!"AtlastonelittlespidertooktimeenoughtostopandtalktoWilburbeforemakingitsballoon.

           "We’releavinghereonthewarmupdraft.Thisisourmomentforsettingforth.Weareaeronautsandwearegoingoutintotheworldtomakewebsforourselves."

           "Butwhere?"askedWilbur.

           "Whereverthewindtakesus.High,low.Near,far.East,west.North,south.Wetaketothebreeze,wegoasweplease."

           "Areallofyougoing?"askedWilbur."Youcan’tallgo.Iwouldbeleftalone,withnofriends.Yourmotherwouldn’twantthattohappen,I’msure."

           Theairwasnowsofullofballooniststhatthebarncellarlookedalmostasthoughamisthadgathered.Balloonsbythedozenwererising,circling,anddriftingawaythroughthedoor,sailingoffonthegentlewind.Criesof"Good-bye,good-bye,good-bye!"cameweaklytoWilbur’sears.Hecouldn’tbeartowatchanymore.Insorrowhesanktothegroundandclosedhiseyes.Thisseemedliketheendoftheworld,tobedesertedbyCharlotte’schildren.Wilburcriedhimselftosleep.

           Whenhewokeitwaslateafternoon.Helookedattheeggsac.Itwasempty.Helookedintotheair.Theballoonistsweregone.Thenhewalkeddrearilytothedoorway,whereCharlotte’swebusedtobe.Hewasstandingthere,thinkingofher,whenheheardasmallvoice.

           "Salutations!"itsaid."I’muphere."

           "SoamI,"saidanothertinyvoice.

           "SoamI,"saidathirdvoice."Threeofusarestaying.Welikethisplace,andwelikeyou."

           Wilburlookedup.Atthetopofthedoorwaythreesmallwebswerebeingconstructed.